The Enclave Renegade
by Aloa Vera
Summary: Three Dog, the GNR's loud-mouthed disc jockey has some news, just as always. While listening to the show, a bloodshed is about to be prepared. According to the news, another legend roams the Wasteland, as the Lone Wanderer got a rival, a mysterious and lonely Enclave eyebot is traveling through the land.
1. Chapter 1

**The Enclave Renegade**

 **1\. Renegade**

It was afternoon and the air was muggy. The desert landscape once lived better days, just as the captives, who were enslaved at the canyon, surrounded by large rocks.

This people, or according to others: zombies, who were named officially ghouls, were standing next to each other.

The men and women, who's only fault was that their skin was rotting alive. Their captors undressed them to underwear, while the three Enclave soldier was in powerarmor. Although the group had their very own radio station this soldiers listened to the rival's news. Perhaps they were bored by President Eden's cheap marketing craps.

The radio could be heard clearly among the Enclave equipments. And what to say… a condemned couldn't even imagine a better funeral oration!

"What's up, wastelanders? Did you miss your disc jockey? Yup, it's Three Dog at the microphone! I have news, kiddos, big news! I know from reliable sources that where the Enclave is settling cleansing, there's no Ghoul left alive, regardless of whether is or isn't in his right mind! But radiation infected friends there is hope of protection, outside of the Underworld! The Brotherhood of Steel explorers spoke with a mere residents who said that they were encountered with a white Enclave Eyebot, and where the drone appears, there will soon be seen fleeing Ghouls, and after a little search the man can also caught some Enclave bastards, all unconscious by the way! The only question is whether those big eyes got to do anything with our little vaultdweller or not? It is quite possible, because the kid is sympathizing strongly with the ghouls, otherwise he wouldn't use that repellent mask… And now, a little music…"

The two tin imitation looked at each other, and soon laughed when they heard one of the songs from the GNR's not so wide music library. Although the singer did not want to set the world on fire, but one from the two Enclave soldiers somehow had a different opinion. He unhooked his weapon from his back and incandesced the Flamer.

A blue flame came out from the deadly weapon's tube. A small heat was what the that cabbage needed…

The prisoners huddled even better together at the sight of the sudden flames.

The third soldier, who was an officer went to the table and turned off the radio. As silence fell, he heard some buzz sound from his back. He turned quickly, and in an instant he gt face to face with one of their metal messengers.

Less than five steps away from him an Enclave Eyebot was hovering just above his subordinates. The metal thing silently buzzed and stood, nailing his large optics at the Ghouls. They also watched the show. Because as it turned out, it was quite a big show. The snow-white drone was lying just above those two can masquerade, sorry, I wanted to write: power armored soldier.

The officer was quite surprised, soon wakened from the dismay and drew his guns. He pointed one of his weapons on the Ghouls, while the other on the Eyebot.

"Everybody, stay where you are!" shouted the man.

"Oh, fuck, this shit never works out…" The soldier heard a soft female voice, but by the time he looked up, he has seen only a rotten board piece, only if he had the luck to see it coming strait to his face.

The punch was so successful, and this would be proved by the officer himself, as soon as he'll wake up with strong headaches.

The Ghouls were still staying next to each other, with horror in their eyes looking at the gray-clothed wastelander, who covered her face with her hat's brim and with a cloth. Only her two large, brown eyes could be seen.

She had a tall stature, what was well suited with her nice hourglass figure under her thick coat.

She dropped the board, after that she bent down to the victim, and after a short search she pulled out a hidden dagger from his boot. With that in her hand she walked toward the ghouls. She freed the first man, and after leaving the weapon to him, she turned and left without a word. The white drone followed her.

As the freed ghoul helped his friends as well, one person, who was visibly hurrying, as the knife cut the rope, what was tying him down, he ran to his clothes.

The soldiers gathered them all in a pile. Probably they wanted to burn it.

The above-mentioned Ghoul dressed scarcely, and as he took his other equipments as well, he also started running after their mysterious savior.

She was gone far away, but the ghoul caught up with her.

"Hey, wait!" shouted after her the man with a hoarse voice.

"Leave me alone, or I'll let on you Renegade!"

The drone turned to the ghouls with a buzzing sound, hearing the woman's voice. Its laser weapon stood looking at the man's face, and was already ready to fire.

"I do not want any trouble!" said the man, as he got his hand in front of his face.

"That's my opinion as well" she replied. "Then we have no more to discuss!"

"Hell no! You just saved my life! And with mine ten other people's lives too!"

"They sure need you more than I do. Go, rather help them".

"I'm Quinn, and very glad to meet you!"

But even if he offered his hand to the woman, she avoided the handshake.

"At least, please tell me your name!"

She stopped for a moment and then turned to the man, then took a deep breath and than finally shouted.

"God bless America!"

Quinn, the wandering ghoul was not expecting this, and anyway, with such patriotism, always the Enclave comes to mind for the most of the wastelanders.

"It can't be, that your last name is Vargas?" Quinn said, still surprised. "Just because I know someone from Megaton… Well, whatever…"

"You still don't want to disappear?"

Their conversation then suddenly stopped, as a Vertibird flew over their heads. As he looked at her, he suddenly saw sadness and pain threw her eyes, but he also discovered longing as well.

"It's going at your friend's direction" said the woman. "You'd rather stay with me, or go to help them".

Quinn instead of words came to action, he ran back to where the others were. He hid among the rocks to watch the events. The ghouls had fortunately escaped just before the vertibird arrived, hearing the machine's sound. The Enclave didn't found anything there, only the three Seven Sleepers. But then they surely will have a big surprise when they'll wake up. They can see first the face of their favorite colonel. Colonel Autumn looked through the sleepyhead men with military rigor, while at his back a white-coated scientist picked his eye glasses while working on an instrument.

"You can find here too?" cast a look behind the colonel.

"Yes, sir" responded the lab rat. "A high concentration of fuel, used by the Eyebots, can be found here. That's certain that one got there, but I can't find information about this in our database".

"Corporal Craig" Autumn addressed the officer who in the meantime succeeded to reimburse. "I wait your immediate report! You've promised dead ghouls, where are they?"

"Um… Colonel Autumn" tried to gather his thoughts on the officer but the pain almost stab his ears as he uttered the letter "c", while he was facing the ground, and almost sunk into the ground with shame. He called the colonel at terrain for neither subjects, nor dead ghouls. He knew well that the situation was serious.

"Colonel" interrupted their conversation the scientist, catching this way the white-haired man's attention. "I found something! The fuel what's spreading in the air is not fully the same to what we are using. Its composition doesn't include the component "R", instead it was used radscorpion poison. But it has been modified to avoid the poison to harm the components! This requires a serious level of knowledge. I think it would be good to look in Rivet City's laboratory. Maybe they know something about this".

"I know every scientist, who's working in that city!" the colonel replied. "None of them is aware of Enclave secrets. Corporal Craig, a white eyebot was the assailant?"

"Not entirely, sir… But… But how do you know that it was present a drone as well?"

"The Wasteland has been filled with the news! However, there's something about only a few people is aware of, but I do not wish to speak to you about this. So an Eyebot, a white Eyebot was the attacker. But what did you mean, when you said that it was not his doing entirely? Answer, soldier!"

"Among the three of us, only I remained at my consciousness when the drone appeared. The thing located above my comrades, which technically is not very beneficial, because if I had to shoot, and after disarming it, that thing would have been produced easily an electric vapor discharge, what may be fatal, if it's falling on a power armor, since the armor conducts electricity".

"Military knowledge…" shook his head the colonel. "And say, corporal, you also saw the owner of the Eyebot?"

"No, sir… I just heard… I heard a woman's voice, but so quietly that maybe I would be unable to recognize it even if I hear it again".

"Oh, really?" he stared at the corporal. "It's sad to hear that. Mainly because there is no need for someone to be in the Enclave army, who's incapable of a simple voice verification!"

The corporal opened his mouth to answer, but under azide while he dealt with the breath, Colonel Autumn took a laser gun and with a single well-aimed shot he made a small band of jelly heap.

The other two sleepyhead seeing this, frightened like hell, but the colonel accepted their report, and after he ordered the retention of fifty percent of their monthly salary, they had to pay the cost of the journey as well.

Quinn watched the events in the shelter of the cliffs above. As he was lying there, he also wondered that something is wrong around him. But it's cause he only realized when the soldiers started the vertibird's engine.

Then he realized that he heard the wind, but down there no one's cloth blink until the plane was not powered.

The ghoul carefully lifted to look around, but as soon as he increased, he felt something touch his back. He laid back down in seconds, snatched his combat knife from his belt, then he turned. He saw Renegade, the white Eyebot above him. The machine gave out the wind like sound, while howering over the man.

Quinn lowered his weapon while looked around to see if the woman is around as well. It was no need to him to search for a long period, the traveler with the hat was really there. She was kneeling behind a boulder, and watched how the plane was rising in the air, and then disappeared into the clouds.

She still looked with the same expressions on her face after the machine, than when she first observed it.

Qiunn decided not to press on the subject. After all the ominous sounds died down, he got up and rushed to the woman. He touched her shoulder, and when she lifted to him her gaze, Quinn said goodbye. But before he thanked her for saving their lives. He was not asking her other things, he simply offered her to visit the Underworld if she's nearby, and then he left.

He went down, looked around a bit between the equipment what was left behind, searcjing for something useful.

As he was digging through the trash, Renegade appeared out of nowhere. He knew, that if the Eyebot is nearby its master will be not far away as well, and he wasn't wrong. As soon as he finished the search of the boxes, the mysterious stranger appeared beside him.

„Many people are there, in the Underworld?" she asked from the ghoul. „Just because I've heard about the place. It is said that only your kind is leaving there!"

„Sometimes we have some smooth-skin visitors as well, but you heard it right, the Underworld has basically only ghoul residents! But who help us are welcomed there as well regardless their looks."

„Is not easy to travel with Renegade. We are not going at all to places like Rivet, Canterberry Commons or Megaton. The place where I have been staying, meanwhile was invaded by raiders. I have no longer a place where I can fix my little sweety, but she already could use a little maintenance".

„In the Underworld we can provide place, devices and even personnel if you mind".

„I need only place and a little scrap metal. I can handle the rest".

„We're providing everything you could possibly need!"

Out of habbit he held out his hand, but than he soon attempted to lower, but the woman grabbed his hands and shook his hand.

„I'm Elaine, glad to meet you!"


	2. Chapter 2

**2\. Inside the Underworld**

Elaine's and Quinn's acquaintances did not start smoothly, but by the time they reached the Museum of History through the ruins, Renegade has also allowed Quinn to touch its components. But it's true that when this happened, the thing always beeped like a bomb what's going to explode.

Quinn remarked.

"I always thought that these flying machines are only able to bring news from the Enclave. Sometimes, when beasts attack them, they defend themselves, but I never would have thought they can be as loyal as a dog!"

"The Enclave could've been much more advanced, if they weren't been so afraid of technology."

"You were one of them?"

"I thought that this was clear from the beginning… I grew up on Enclave ideals. Some betrayed me, others took me a traitor, but here I am, and Renegade will stay here after me as well. I pondered for a long time to trust anyone, after what happened to me and Renegade, but I don't want to let her alone in this world. You've seen what the Enclave is capable of. They're starving for an error, a single little error…"

"We have arrived by the way. That large gate there is the entrance to the Underworld".

Quinn looked in the direction of the Museum of History, just above the metro subway. Entering the ruins, a former reception hall greeted them. They went over to the other room, where among other things was a stuffed mammoth and a dinosaur skeleton. Behind the mammoth a big pile of yellow something was discoverable, and as they approached it, the pile suddenly moved. As he stood, the two faced a supermutant.

Elaine immediately got her gun, but Quinn grabbed the woman's arm.

"He's Fawkes!" he pointed at the super mutant, who with the intention to persuade the woman, quickly raised both hands, while the book, what he was just reading, fell to the ground.

"Miss" echoed in the spacious hall the mutant's thick voice. "Please, do not be afraid! I don't want to hurt anyone! But that thing there is an…"

The mutant's pupils narrowed when he saw Renegade. He got to his back, without thinking, after his Gatling Laser.

"Fawkes!" shouted the ghoul at the mutant. "Take it easy, buddy! He's Renegade, Elaine's drone!"

"But that's an Enclave Eyebot!"

"No, Fawkes, this is Renegade. Even if it was fabricated by Enclave hands, I owe my life to them!"

"I knew I should not have come here…"Elaine muttered, and even had the intention to go out of the museum."

"Wait!" rushed between them Quinn. "It started very badly, but believe me, you can't be harmed here! I give you my word!"

"Oh…" scratched his head the big, yellow guy. "I didn't know that there are good Enclave fighters, but if you saved Quinn, it means that you're friend. Or maybe a spy…"

"Fawkes!" the ghoul yelled at him, now definitely nervous. "Elaine's not a spy! And if it happens that she's one, here, in the Underworld, the Enclave has no chance against us! She did not had in mind to come here, I insisted!"

"I am not a spy, definitely not a warrior!" Elaine said as she walked past Fawkes. "I finish Renegade's maintenance until sunset then I'm out of here. But if you want, I can turn off Renegade, and you can blindfold me as well. In fact, if I get some parts, I do not need to go any further."

"Oh, please you're welcome here!" Quinn shook his head, and ran fast to the town's entrance.

He opened the heavy door before the woman, and after Elaine and the Eyebot crossed the threshold, he also entered.

At the huge hall spread a stinking, rotting smell. Therefore Quinn apologized separately, saying, that the ghoul's life aren't easy, but excluding any discomfort, the Underworld was much cleaner and was a more orderly place than the most places of the Wasteland.

Seeing the new guests, many ghouls appeared from the surrounding rooms. Most of them were frightened at the sight of Renegade, just like Fawkes. As expected, soon Cerberus came as well. He was sent as the "welcoming committee". He greeted Elaine with his boring speech sentence.

"Attention! Civilian at deck!"

"Civilian? And tell me, are you sure? I can be either a deserted Enclave officer… Oh, or my favorite: a spy!"

Elaine was not frittered away on things. Hearing her, the most of the ghouls scattered, but of course they were still not very fond of their meeting with the mysterious woman.

Quinn stared and shook his head. Elaine looked at the man, and when she saw that the crowd had left, she asked the ghoul where she can start Renegade's repairs.

Quinn rushed forward. He ran down the hall. He turned left at the first door, and when she reached there, he was back there. As she looked around, she saw a shop in there. The cashier was a ghoul woman, who shouted after the guy.

"First, you'd better look it up in his study!"

"Thanks, Tulip! replied the man. "I am looking for a friend of mine. He also owns the workplace, on which you can work. I'm sure that he'll allow you to use it, I just don't want him to become angry at me just because I let you use it without his permission."

Elaine nodded as she followed the man. After a little walk, they turned right. They stopped in front of a closed door, on which the ghoul knocked. Just a few seconds later, voices came from inside, then the door opened.

"It isn't locked…" stuck his head out a ghoul wearing RobCo overalls. "Oh, Quinn! Did you get some scrap metal for me?"

"Winthrop! I was looking just for you! I need your help. But to be more specific, I didn't need it for me, but for her." He pointed his head towards Elaine. "She's Elaine. I owe my life to her, and to Renegade as well. However Renegade could use a little improvement."

"Bring this Renegade in. Although I have to admit that I'm not sure if I can do anything to fix him. Today I renovated Cerberus's control panel, and certainly not much components remained after my work was done."

"Oh, no, it's not about that!" Quinn replied. "Elaine would like to repair her robot, the only thing what she needs it's a place where she can do the repairs!"

"The work table is there" pointed at the end of the room. "You can use it!'

"Thank you!" said the woman, then quickly sidestepped the two men, and hurried to the table. Renegade also buzzed in after her.

Winthrop hardly believed his eyes when he saw the white Eyebot.

Elaine began to work on the spot. She asked the ghoul to let her use the guy's computer, then when she got his approval, she connected the robot to the computer.

Winthrop couldn't took his eyes off the woman's work. He had never seen a level of skill like hers before, and he was a competent person.

Elaine's work didn't last for an hour. Although there was insufficient equipment, but she finished her work.

After completing her work, she got a shawl from Winthrop, which she used to clean Renegade, than turned back the robot's controller.

"Thank you, Winthtrop!" said Elaine when she held back the shawl to him. "You gave a big help for me!"

"I heard about a white Eyebot on the radio. You were the one who saved my ghoul brothers?"

"I think that Quinn told you about me and about Renegade. I don't need to deny anyway." she continued after a short pause. "The only surprise that you've heard about this only from the radio or from Quinn… We weren't started our work today with Renegade. No one came here from those who escaped from the Enclave's death squad?"

"We don't like to speak about what we go through. Everyone has their own story, but you can unrip too much of a bloody chapter and too deep wounds with just one bad question."

"I didn't say this to hurt your feelings. Sorry, I'm not a man of words…"

"But you aren't going, are you?"

"I'm done here. I am very grateful to you. But I don't want to be a burden on anyone."

"Please! Do not say like this! If there's anything we can help, feel free to let me know. Oh, and Quinn also paid for a bed for you at Carol's place. Please, spend at least the night here."

"You're really nice, but I can not stay. The Enclave is mainly active at night… I don't think that they can switch back Renegade's GPS, but if they bring together, Autumn would come straight here for a ghost hunt… I couldn't put all of you in such big danger!"

"Cerberus guards the place. He would welcome all of the Enclave scum with open arms."

Elaine smiled, but nothing could discourage her from her intention.

"Thanks again for everything. Give my regards to Quinn! Goodbye!" she then left the city of ghouls.


	3. Chapter 3

**3\. Sweet-E**

Fawkes was reading a book what he was studying at the afternoon as well. A bottle of irradiated water was lying in front of his foot, in which was reflecting the door to the Underworld.

Below the huge skull, what decorated the hall, the gate opened, on which Quinn stepped out, exiting the Underworld.

The super mutant sighed, seeing that the guy started to walk straight into his direction.

"I told her to remain here until morning" said to the ghoul, "but she defied my opinion".

"You have not seen where she went?"

"I didn't go after her, and listen my friend, that woman knows exactly what she's doing, and knows how to protect herself."

"I found out who this Elaine might be. But I can wonder all I care, it doesn't add up. She lives with Enclave principals, but… Fawkes, you promise me, that this, what I'll tell you, will remain between us?"

"You can trust me, friend. Your secret is safe with me."

"While Elaine repaired her drone at Winthrop's place, I went back to Cerberus, and asked him if he had made a photo out of Renegade with his high-definition camera. He made some about that thing, and fortunately one of a good quality. Then I asked him to highlight the sentence under the label Renegade the thickened surfaces, then wipe all the paint and highlight the selection. Renegade's real name is: Sweet-E."

"Sweet-E? It doesn't sound familiar to me at all…"

"I flipped a couple Enclave file in my life, that's how I got into trouble now as well. I remembered that I saw that name somewhere before, but I didn't know where. However, I was certain, that the Enclave was involved. Then I met with Travis, at Carol's Place, you know, with that cocky bastard, who was once one of them".

"With whom you brought in here not long ago?"

"Yes, I was talking about him. Well, we chatted a bit, and it turned out that I remembered well, that name, Sweet-E really appeared in one of the Enclave's documents. It was a real spy scandal. Two scientists worked on it, and at on another Eyebot prototype. According to the official data, they developed them in Raven Rock, in the Enclave's headquarters, but Travis says that by the time they arrived at the base, the two prototypes were perfectly functional. He couldn't say more, but I was able to learn the names of that two scientists: Dr. Whitley and Dr. Ronin.

"Ronin? You're speaking about Dr. Elaine Ronin, the Brotherhood's double agent? But… but I believed that she was killed seven years ago! Charon has also made a note of it when he stayed in the Citadel with the Lone Wonderer!

"I also bought a copy, but however, if you can, explain something to me! How can that be that her name doesn't appear anywhere else in? Because that Elaine Ronin wasn't her nick name, but her real name! They didn't mention what role she had there, just the fact that the Brotherhood of Steel identified her as their dead! But we all know that her body has never been found, and as you may know, the Enclave searched for it the entire bottom of the river for a month. They screened every meter of the bottom, but couldn't find it. And Sweet-E? Travis says that the entire ED-E series has been recalled to be melted into the Enclave Hellfire Armor. Travis said that none of the prototypes ended in the furnace, both of them disappeared!"

They both sighed and then the silence subsequently joined them. Neither Quinn, nor Fawkes did not know what to believe. Dr. Elaine Ronin's name has been mentioned more then once at a time by Three Dog, like adventures of the Lone Wanderer exploits around the Capitol Wasteland. As the name of the famously infamous Mata Hari, Dr. Ronin's name got written in history. She played a major role in the liberation of the Citadel, what was conquered for three years. Many Brotherhood fighters died in those days, and if Dr. Ronin didn't gave help, even more would have perished.

They knew well, that sitting there and watching the ground will not give answers to the questions.

As they fought about this, Fawkes suddenly looked at Quinn.

"Did you hear it?" he asked.

"What?"

Fawkes fought about his answer, but he changed his mind, before he poured his ideas in words, and decided to look at the direction from where he heard the sound.

He stood up and walked toward the exit. Quinn followed his lead. Reaching the door, they observed Renegade. Not far away, near the toilets, they saw Elaine, as she was leaning towards the wall. She stood there, with folded hands, and with almost completely closed eyelashes. Her face was still covered with the kerchief, with the hat on her head. A couple of blond-brown strands of hair were sticking out of the front.

Sensing the guys looks on her she sighed and slowly opened her eyes. They were shining with a wearily, almost tantalized light.

No words were needed it was possible to read everything from them.

"If I'm not mistaken" she said, "you want to know how I survived?"

"I can't believe that I'm in front of a true legend…" gasped Quinn.

"With a legend?" Elaine looked at him. "Hmm… There is nothing uplifting, when I think back on my life. Yet all started like a fairy tale… God, it's been a long time already. A whole generation has grown up since then as well…"

Bitter memories broke to surface, which were even hard to remember, not to share them with anyone.

She couldn't stay there, not a minute longer. She left the wall, and went towards the exit. While the world increasingly began to spin around her, she did her best to leave as soon as possible the Museum, but the grueling march for weeks, and the freshly remembered memories overcame her body, and even before she reached out of the building, she fainted.


	4. Chapter 4

**4\. Elaine's memories**

To understand the actions of the wasteland's Mata Hari, first we have to go back in time nearly twenty six years.

At that time Elaine wasn't even twenty years old, but thanks to her high intelligence, she was working for a now forgotten Enclave laboratory, as an Eyebot-developer.

She loved her job. She was working in the lab all day long, working on the projects.

At those times not even Sweet-E looked exactly the same as in the original story time. It seemed a little different and slightly different from the other drones as well.

Although it looked exactly the same in its structure like the others, but externally it was more "feminine".

Elaine loved to put make-up on her Sweetpie, so she painted the robot in azure and pink colors.

That day she examined the machine's electronics, when an assistant ran into to the room.

"Dr. Ronin!" ran the woman to Elaine. "The new boss just arrived! President Eden really made Tainted Cave a military base! He sent a lieutenant straight from Raven Rock!"

"Yeah… and if I'm not mistaken, one with the name of a season. Perhaps Summer or Winter?"

"Autumn. Lieutenant Augustus Autumn. But I don't understand something… Why are you here, when everybody from the staff went to the reception?

"Sometimes it's really comfortable that Whitley was made my superior. I really hate the official matters!"

She really meant a part of what she said, but deep down she felt uncomfortable that Whitley became her superior, especially that no one counted her opinion on the subject.

The first reason for this decision was her young age, saying that because Whitley is older than her, he must be more experienced. However there would be put some questions about this, if we count the fact that the lieutenant, who was put in charge, was only is his twenties as well, and they've put him chief of the base. Of course, Elaine knew that her father weren't and never will be President Eden's right-hand man.

The tine went by, days, weeks, months, years, and the eighth autumn just arrived at the base of Tainted Cave, under Autumn's leadership, who with the time being, became first lieutenant.

Elaine, as if she had stuck in the lab, she was only working on the development of the two Eyebot, with Whitley.

On that part of the base could hardly detect any changes. Soldiers were rare visitors on those parts of the base, and the scientists wouldn't meet any disruptions on their moves around the labs. Of course, there were changes as well. The development of the Eyebots was herded towards military purposes, and the power armors and laser weapons development was required as well.

It happened that one time Elaine infuriated because they got a command to arm Sweet-E. She infuriated so much, that she left the lab and tried to go to the lieutenant, but the man wasn't in his office. The scientist was boiling with rage, when she marched through the nearly empty wing. Most of the soldiers were on training and practice.

She went back to the lab, but she was unable to do anything due her nervousness.

Her stomach was still shaking, when suddenly two men entered the room. They each had a weapon in their hands which wasn't a drill in that place. They looked around the spacious lab, then one of them said:

"We are looking for Dr. Elaine Ronin!"

"I'm the person you're looking for!"

She jumped up from the chair, hoping that maybe the lieutenant sent the soldiers after her. However, Whitley wasn't so optimistic. He walked beside her from precaution, pressing the outraged woman behind his shoulder.

"Dr. Elaine Ronin, by supreme command we are going to take you into custody! In case if you don't cooperate with us, we got fire order!"

Elaine nodded, but before she took a step, Whitley reached for her hand. "Elaine, what's going on here? What did you do up there?"

"It isn't important what I did, but what I will do! Let's go, gentlemen! Show me the way!"

"Elaine!" Whitley called after her, though in vain. "At least tell me where you will take her!"

Despite all his efforts, he didn't received information, and Elaine was so nervous, that she maybe did not even realize what was happening.

All it happened so suddenly. She was working at her desk just a minute ago, now she was strapped to a chair at an interrogation room.

The dark room was lit by a lava lamp. No other decoration was found in the room besides the lamp but two chairs and a metal table.

She was sitting there an hour or so, in complete solitude.

In the meantime she had time to gather her thoughts, so when an officer entered the room, Elaine was a bit calmly then when she was dragged away from work.

"Finally…" she sighed when she saw the officer enter, who had a projector with him, which later was placed on the table, then sat down. "Finally would you tell me why you dragged me here?!"

"According to the documents you are Elaine Ronin, born on the thirtieth of August, 2230, in the town of Primm".

"Dr. Elaine Ronin, if you please, and yes, your information is correct, really I was born in Primm, the so called 'suburb' of New Vegas. The numbers are correct as well: 08/30/2230. Let's get back to the point why you dragged me here? Because I dared to complain to let the Eyebot developed by me on the front? Sweet-E is my property, not to mention that is a prototype, so I have priorities opposite your kind of: "shoot first then ask questions" guys!

"We have confiscated the aforementioned Eyebot to collect possible evidences. Our command is valid not only for the drone but for all your records and reports. In addition at the time of the investigation we confiscate all your belongings. Here's the order!"

He pushed a sheet of paper in front of her eyes, though she couldn't take the papers in her hand, because her hands were still strapped to the chair.

She raised her eyes from the paper then started to talk: "Why do I have the feeling that maybe that order to fire wasn't issued because of Sweet-E…"

"You're correct, miss Ronin".

"Doctor Ronin!"

"As you wish, miss!"

"What were you approving just a minute before!"

"I hope, you'll co-operate with us".

"Why shouldn't I co-operate?"

"Because what you've committed, is the most severe crime. For its punishment is death! But, Dr. Ronin, I'm sure, that you were sure about this, as much as I am, or is any other decent American citizen".

"What did I do?"

"Oh, so you just want to make it harder for us, to make our job? Yet it was precisely your work, with which you lifted the veil from yourself, Dr; Ronin!"

The soldier gave her a gloating smile, after that whistled, then suddenly all sources of light went out, which illuminated the room.

A click was heard in the darkness and subsequently a projector started to project on the wall a video.

The film was recorded in the Wasteland, in one of the many ruined buildings. An Eyebot made the record, this was visible from the movements of the camera, and sometimes even its shadow would have been seen.

Going through a long corridor he reached a large, half-collapsed room.

Among the ruins some soldiers from the Brotherhood of Steel were searching through the trash. The ones, who were wearing power armors, wore helmet as well, but the other one wore but an ordinary scribe dress. Only about that person was possible to establish that the person was a she.

The pleasant hourglass shape was suspiciously feminine, but when she turned around her pretty face became visible.

She was the one, who saw the Enclave scout and told the soldiers who immediately fired down the Eyebot with a machine gun.

The recording was interrupted here, but Elaine was unable to take her look down from the white spot on the wall, which was still projected on the wall by the machine.

Elaine tried to find words, knowing that there now is a huge stake. She saw something impossible with her own two eyes.

"This…" she knew that she needs to speak, to comment on this. "I… I do not understand… is that… that woman… she can't be…"

"Dr. Ronin, if that woman from the recording isn't you, then please, explain to me, who she is".

"…"

"All right, if you want to play this way… You admit willingly that you are visible on that video tape, or we have to start a long investigation".

"I've never seen this footage! I've never been in that place and never betrayed the Enclave!"

"You are visible on the tape, or your alter ego?"

"When was made the recording? I work from morning to late night at the lab, ask about this my superior, Dr. Whitley!"

"No need, Miss! The recording was made last night! At that time you were sleeping peacefully in a ring, what is not falling under surveillance by the military, from where you can slip off whenever you want! But I have to ask, at October seventh, somebody stayed by your side at three o'clock, who can provide you an alibi?"

Elaine's voice was hoarse, as she began to start looking in her memories, but kept running to a dead end, no matter how many thoughts she remembered. Suddenly she lost her voice, and became unable to respond the questions.

Float in sweat, and the small breeze wasn't enough to help her, when from her back opened the door and someone entered.

The person making the audience stood up to stand up, but in the end remained seated. The person who entered stepped to the woman's left side, but could not see who it was, because remained behind Elaine.

The woman didn't know his identity, just the fact, that he is a man, because she could smell his aftershave.

The officer who was making the interrogation nodded silently, as if they silently would trigger a few words about the other guy, then he gazed back on her.

"So, Dr. Ronin, you'll admit that you are on the tape, or do you want to experience the Enclave interrogation methods?"

"I didn't do anything!" said Elaine, but with a strained voice, like she wouldn't take serious the whole interrogation, although her voice sounded so interesting from the excitement. "I am innocent".

The officer just on Elaine's opposite side, leaned on the table, picked up a sheet and after he looked at it, he continued the interrogation.

"At October seventh, you started work at 9.15. Interestingly, neither before, not since you didn't delayed any minute. That day however, you were late more than an hour. How do you explain this?"

"Eh… I… I started work the same time that day… It wasn't even eight o'clock…

At the end of her sentence, the man standing behind her tossed a paper on the table. After that he grabbed the woman's hair, and handed over the table, but that way that the tip of her nose reached the top of the table.

Elaine of course couldn't see anything from the text, but the man who grabbed her by her hair, was so kind to read out load what was written on the paper.

"I'm tired of your stories! One of my men died, and I also lost an Eyebot on that very morning of seventh, October! Here, on this page is written, that you've logged in at nine and ten minutes! You've started to work then!"

"I remember it now! I forgot to sign in, because a brain-dead idiot drank so much, that he fought about Whitley's Eyebot, ED-E, that he's a boxing pad! That drunkard, or so-called soldier wasn't impeached, just I am the only one who is accused of something I've never did!"

The hand, what clutched her hair now elevated, but in a second traced it back with equally, if not with more power, with Elaine's hair between his fingers, who first felt a crack, than an indescribable pain ran down on her face. The man behind her mercilessly hit the woman's head at the table, letting Elaine with a broken nose.

The worst of it was that Elaine didn't lose consciousness, but completely eliminated the outside word from her mind. For a good time she saw only just lights, while she felt how she was dragged out of the room. After that only the squeaking door's sound, then the silence and the dark was the only thing she perceived.

Elaine sobbed in pain. She was shivering, lying on the dirty floor, while the tears fell in streams. In spite of the pain, she also had started to gather her thoughts.

She wasn't lying, she never saw those people, and never had been in that place. She didn't know how she will explain this, she knew but one thing: that she's in danger, and not only her, but everyone she knows.

But what frightened her even more that Sweet-E can be in danger, and certainly her colleague might be not in a position to save the machine. She straightened while she was still sanding on the ground, and as time passed, and she was able to compose a bit herself, she started to let inside her head the sounds from the outside. Then she heard the voice of a man, sitting in the next jail ceil.

"Hey, hey, Can't you hear me? Shoot yourself, girl! You'll be much better!"

Elaine stood up then saw in the dust, just before her a Stimpak. She leaned up and looked toward the man, who was also a prisoner, just as herself.

"Don't look at me! I'm not the Santa Claus! The guards were the ones who threw in beside you, while you were busy with sobbing! They said it's a gift from the lieutenant. I think, you could accept it…"

Elaine looked at the Stimpak, but as the man's voice went through her mind, she remembered what the man said to her, who broke her nose. He mentioned the soldier, who died, as his subordinate. She realized that the man who stood at her back was no other but lieutenant himself, the head of the facility, Augustus Autumn.

Successfully putting together the puzzle, anger flooded her brain, and she kicked away the Stimpak then rolled over on the other side, sobbing in continuation.

The man, staying in the other cell crept closer to the bars. It seemed on his every move, how he suffered. He was also beaten up well, perhaps even better than the girl next to him. He reached the Stimpak through the bars. He rolled it in his hands. He looked at his very arm, but as he turned his head in the girl's direction, he saw the blood stains on the ground, just around her head.

"Damn…" he muttered, shaking his head. "I feel that I will regret this later…"

He tore off the hermetic packaging, after that following by a light movement, he stabbed the Stimpak in her arm.


	5. Chapter 5

**5\. Assault against the base**

Two days have passed since the base of Tainted Cave's scientist's number went down with an employee. Whitley made every effort to speak with his friend and colleague however despite all his attempts they rejected all his requests. Then he visited the lieutenant in person and used all of his influences, but all this was only good to be threatened by the soldiers that he will lost the project, if he'll keep going on like this, and he can go wherever he wants.

He worked dejectedly in his office when someone burst through the door without even knocking. Whitley angrily turned around and took off his glasses, seeing that his assistant came into the office so loud.

"What's gotten into you?" he said to the woman, who was barely Elaine's age. "Why did you break the door on me, in such an ill-mannered style?"

"My, lover, Edgar, said just now that this morning the lieutenant signed two death penalties. The prison has a total of two prisoners, a Brotherhood of Steel fighter, and the doctor!"

Whitley got goose bumps as he remembered that Edgar belongs to the lieutenant's bodyguards, so he knows exactly everything what's happening at the base.

Aware of the developments, the scientist went directly to Autumn's office, and burst in, without knocking.

The two soldiers, who guarded the door immediately grabbed him and dragged him out of the empty office. Whitley constantly yelled that he wants to speak with the boss. Finally they fulfilled his wish, but however, he had to try out how it feels to be sitting on a chair, while his hands and foots were bounded to it.

The Enclave's future colonel shook his head as he walked into the room. He knew that the scientist has nothing to do with the situation, but he also knew that he needs to share the "truth" with the man, otherwise he will never stop, and it was enough to lose one scientist, losing two of them would be catastrophic. The progress of the development of the eyebots made some steps back since the imprisonment of Dr. Ronin.

Despite all of the evidences, Whitley didn't believe one word what he heard from the mouth of the soldier. Not even after Autumn showed him the video recordings.

He watched the man's reactions instead of the recording. He wanted to be sure that the scientist has nothing to do with the case. Whitley's body language proved his innocence.

While these events took place in one wing of the building, in the underground section Elaine was led to an unknown place. Both her hands were tied together, and they even pulled a bag over her head.

She was still in shock, after just half an hour ago they presented the indictment and not long after the punishment to her. Lieutenant Autumn wanted to speak out her death sentence personally, but Whitley's little solo action made the lieutenant to stay and speak with him.

A terrible death awaited both prisoners, and they both knew it. They were taken to the cages of the Deathclaws. There they had to kneel down a bit away from each other. After that that, the soldiers left the room.

As the metal doors closed, the Brotherhood member took the bag off of his head and looked around instantly.

As could be expected only one exit was there, and behind the metal door, what was locked, there were certainly placed guards.

In the huge barn like room no light could enter from the outside, but the ceiling lights were placed far apart one to each other.

Above the door was a giant screen, and on it a digital clock was showing.

As he looked at it, the countdown was at forty seconds and counting back. As he looked to his right, he saw their executioners as well. Two hulking beast sharpened their claws behind a steel cage. The warrior knew that when the countdown reaches down to zero, the cage door will open, and those monsters will constantly attack them.

He wandered to what to do, and although didn't pop out any operational plan out of his mind, he yelled at the woman, next to him, to take the bag off her head.

"What's the point?" Elaine asked, with her voice close to tears.

"If you want to survive, you have to see your attackers. Anyway, if we survive this, I need to introduce you to someone…"

As Elaine remembered the record, she had the right motivation to do what he proposed to her. As the bag was removed from her head, she looked into his direction, but before she reached to look at the man's face, in her eyes fleshed in those twenty-seven seconds, which remained from their lives.

At that moment, a small amount of hope lit up in her eyes. With her hands still bound she ran towards the fuse box near the door. She tore away the cover, and pulled out a cable.

"You're crazy?" shouted the man. "At least give yourself a chance before you kill yourself!"

"There's not enough current inside to hurt me", replied the woman, and instead of further speaking, she torn another cable, whereupon the counter stopped.

"You saved us!" exclaimed with delight the man.

"I don't think so…" she shook her head. "I've seized ourselves with those monsters." She glanced towards the cage of the roaring Deathclaws. The mutants surely were angry, seeing the counter stop, but as it seemed, one thing was sure: they'll make everything to free themselves from their cage.

"Oh, babe, don't worry, just entrust this problem to me!"

The man stood up, and went straight to one of the caged beasts. Walking in front of him, he reached his hands towards the monster, and instantly, the beast attacked. The razor-sharp claws cut the ropes off of the man's arms in an instant. He slapped down satisfied the remaining snippets off of his wrists. With it, came down a little bit of blood as well, what flowed out of the wound. But this was a little sacrifice what he welcomed to the good cause.

"Don't ever call me babe!" appeared Elaine beside him, expecting the same gesture from the same beast, who in turn was not as clever as before, as it failed to cut down the ropes, or to accidentally make any scratch on her arm. The Brotherhood of Steel warrior grabbed her hands before the claws would even reach her hands. What the beast managed was but a tiny cut on the thick rope, what a moment later was torn by the man. So now both of them were free. "Just to introduce myself: I'm Dr. Elaine Ronin!"

"My name is Tristan, and after we manage to escape from here, we can continue on with our dating, but now we have more important things to do. One of them is to get out of here! Preferably in one piece, and walking on my legs, not dragged out in a rubbish bag!"

"Well, there's the problem… I managed to disarm the only exit. We are alive but the only question is that how long can we manage to continue on? The door can be opened but manually, and only from the outside, and I'm certain that they will not waiting for us with open arms!"

"Can you open these cages?"

"Are you crazy?"

"Babe! I mean, Elaine…"

"Dr. Ronin!"

"As you wish, Dr. Ronin… But right now let's get to the point. One thing is good in these Deathclaws, and that one small little thing is that they prefer to attack the better armed and armored preys. With more guns and armor, you're more appetizing for them! You know what I mean?"

"This is bullshit! They'll tear us apart first!"

Tristan, the Brotherhood's warrior maybe would begin a good long discussion, but the time was one of the things what they had little in that situation. They've barely reached the end of their conversation when they heard gunshots from the outside of the door.

Elaine looked back startled, while Tristan went closer. Meanwhile all sounds stopped, but that was just like the calm before the storm… Just a few seconds later another gun shots were heard, and then from a distance even the sirens were heard as well.

The prisoners understood at that moment that the cavalry has just arrived. But the high-pitched sound was sounding but a little time ago when someone suddenly pushed the door open.

From precaution, Tristan jumped to the ground. He grabbed Elaine as well and pulled the woman to a darker point of the room.

The door swung open, and for the first time they saw a spotlight's shine. A man's shadow appeared behind the light. He was wearing heavy armor that was certain. The only question what remained was that which group's armor can be. He proceeded slowly, circling around gently.

Tristan released Elaine's arm, and taking advantage of the noises made by the Deathclaws, he crept behind the door, while he gestured towards the woman to remain in cover.

It was obvious that he was a trained warrior, he move just like the cats, and his movements were heard just in the moment when he wanted to be heard, but then a light immediately shone into his face.

"Peebody!" he said, covering his eyes with his hands. "Get the fuck out that crap off my face, before I castrate you!"

The man lowered his weapon and with it the lights as well, and then he said. "Tristan, I thought, we arrived late!"

"I'd be Deathclaw food if I hadn't met Dr. Ronin!"

"Oh my God!" widened the warriors eyes.

"Our scribe is still around? If we show what we have here, her pretty little chin will surely drop off!"

"Then don't we make her wait much!" smiled the man." The boys cleaned this sector, but the fucking alarms are going on, so our arrival's news is spread!"

"I never thought that one day I'll propose something like this, but it would be better, if this place would not exist! Look at those Deathclaws! They have chips in their minds, and I don't think that they want to domesticate them. It would be better to destroy all of them. And not just the beasts, the plans as well!"

"Tristan, just think about this. Maybe Tainted Cave is a military base, but is full of civilians!"

"We'd rather wait until they send these beasts at us? Peebody, we have to arrange this! Perhaps we'll have no more chance!"

Peebody looked towards the cages. His face was totally blurred, looking at those beasts.

He would never agree with this idea, but as he looked at those huge monsters, he knew that his comrade is right. They have to make the appropriate steps, and now they have no time to delay. And perhaps there will be no more chances indeed.

His stomach churned as he thought about what they are going to do, but had no choice. He started the action. He flooded a rain of bullets on the beasts who even in their agony proved terrible opponents.

Elaine watched wide-eyed the animals execution, but she reached to a conclusion as well. She'll save her work even if it will cost her life!

She slipped out of the cell, while the two men were not paying attention. She ran among the Brotherhood of Steel warrior were not attacking her, because they saw that she's a civilian. She ran through the red light flooded hallway then up the stairs, straight through the open door, jumping over countless corpses of Enclave soldiers.

Another long corridor occurred, but on this not only the sounds and the lights of the alarm was heard and seen, but fighting also took place between the Enclave and Brotherhood of Steel.

Somewhere in cover, somewhere crawling, in other parts jumping unprotected in front of the bullets ran on the familiar route towards her former place of work.

She was well aware that she has no future there for her, but she couldn't imagine her future without Sweet-E.

She escaped the adventure miraculously without a scratch, and after some difficulty she crossed the battlefield and ran among the refugees. She saw from the corner of her eyes their assistant, who was crying over a dead Enclave soldier's body. Elaine wanted to go to her, but the girl suddenly rose, and holding her lover's pistol began to shout her dead boyfriend's name, and ran directly in her death. Elaine's face contorted, seeing how the Brotherhood warrior shot down in cold blood the civilian girl. She couldn't do anything for her, and she knew this well.

She turned back to the lab and now only hoping that she'll find there her beloved robot, she marched towards the lab. It was a bit difficult for her to get into the lab, as the crowd advanced forward. She even fell in the great pace, but she reached the lab in one piece.

At least one stone had fallen from her heart when she heard her colleague's voice.

"Elaine!" shouted Whitley as soon as he noticed the woman and then quickly rushed over to her and helped her up. "My God, I thought, I lost you!"

"Sam!" she hugged him tearfully. "Sam, you need to flee from here! The Brotherhood of Steel wants to destroy this place."

"I know about this, Elaine. They already called on the intercom everyone to go to the airport as soon as possible. The vertibirds are ready! I first have to pack some essential things. Trust me I'll bring to safety Sweet-E and ED-E. We couldn't go all at once, as this would be hazardous. Go, Elaine, run away from here! Here, put on this robe, so they'll see that you're a civilian, not a soldier!"

"I'm taking Sweet-E with me!"

"I told you, I'll take it out! Military insurance was promised, and will be here any minute! See you out there, Elaine! Go ahead and don't look back!"

He couldn't even end his sentence when five Enclave soldiers entered the room. Elaine scared to death, but Whitley managed to save the situation. He claimed that Elaine is none other than Lisa, his assistant. The soldiers even believed it, and immediately sent out the woman off the room, saying to follow the crowd. Elaine nodded, than let go of Whitley's arm and they said to her, she went out of the room.

She mingled again with the crowd, trying to get out of the building. As they more and more marched forward, she saw that some soldiers were stuck in front of a locked door. Apparently they wanted to open it, but were unable to get through, using brute force.

Elaine, despite knowing that she'll play a dangerous game, ran over to them to provide help. The four warriors, who were wearing power armor, seemed very angry. Eventually one of them even returned the scientist into her own mother. Elaine offered to try to remotely open the door for them. To do this, she ran into one of the rooms, there occupying a computer, she began to work on the problem.

She eventually managed to open the door, and the soldiers immediately marched in the closed corridor.

As Elaine stepped out of the control room, shots were fired on the hallway, which she opened for the soldiers. She looked there but saw only smoke, but by the time she turned around suddenly a plasma grenade rolled to her feet.

All it happened in a moment. She even felt the grenade touching her toes, but she also felt how someone grabbed her by her shoulder, and pulled her back into the control room.

She fell facing the floor, but the blow broke her nose, what was still healing. Blood poured out from her nose, while her ears were suffering from the enormous explosion.

Suddenly everything blurred out in front of her. She felt that someone, who's leaning over her, turns her around, but she couldn't recognize the face of her savior, because she lost consciousness.


	6. Chapter 6

**6\. The Fall of Tainted Cave**

The destruction of Tainted Cave, one of the Enclave most equipped research station seemed fine from afar. Black smoke rose from the base, and many military aircraft were traveling in and out of the base. They were transporting to Raven Rock everything and everyone what and who would be saved. However, the Enclave still suffered huge losses then and there.

The Brotherhood of Steel occupied in no time the sub-sectors, and because their intent became known, evacuation orders were sent out soon all over the base.

Autumn and his men secured the exit to the airport, where they rescued the people and their experiments with vertibirds.

Among others there were Whithley with the two Eyebots as well. He turned his head around while concerned about Elaine, but he saw the woman nowhere. He had no choice but to enter into the machine. He knew exactly what is at stake. On board he heard the lieutenant is in there as well, even near the lab where the main hub was.

Whitley wanted to be confident, that Elaine made out as well, since she left the building earlier, but he had a very bad feeling when he looked out of the window at the smoke what came from inside of the base. Deep down, maybe he felt that his colleague and friend is still inside.

Because Elaine was really still inside the control room, still unconscious. Her rescuer laid her on her back, than he tried to wake the woman up. After some sort of attempts he managed to make Elaine open her eyes.

At first, the world span with her, she saw obscured, but as she slowly recuperated from the shock, she saw a man in front of her. He had short, brown hair. How it seemed, he was in his thirties, but despite his young age, grey hair locks could be seen in his hair. He was definitely a handsome man with his tanned skin, and as she looked in the man's eyes, she felt more relaxed.

It also came to light, during the time, when the unknown man helped her up, that he's a soldier. It's true that he wasn't wearing the usual Enclave officer or military equipment, but under his dark brown coat there could be seen an armored vest, and a laser pistol it was attached to the side, which was used only by the soldiers.

He anxiously looked at her broken nose, but because of the smell of the smoke spreading there, he knew that they couldn't stay there for long.

"Do you work here?" he asked from the woman.

"Yes". Elaine replied tentatively.

"Don't you know were can we find somewhere nearby Stimpak? Your nose needs one".

"I know a place where we can find one…" she nodded, then walked back down the hall, but she stopped when she saw that the place was blown up. Plenty bodies were lying under the rubble.

"It doesn't matter" he shook his head, then grabbed her hand and began to pull her out from there. "They'll heal your nose out there. Try to stay calm, and don't take a sudden breath".

Smoke was swirling in the hallway, however at least the people no longer pushed each other up.

The man went in front of Elaine, holding her hand. This went on for several minutes before they reached an army checkpoint where soldiers in gas masks distributed wet rags to the crowd, with which they could cover their faces in the big smoke.

The man there passed the people, then grabbed a gas mask out from a soldier's head what he put on Elaine's head, then he also got before his face a wet rag and they continued on their way.

Elaine's previous intuition suddenly vanished. Now she wasn't so happy to be near that man. He was not sure who the man was, but she knew one thing for sure: no one can take down a soldier's gas mask without being punished, except if that person is someone more influential than the soldier himself.

Now came the most dangerous part of their escape. The big smoke turned its victims, but who wanted to live, marched forward, leaving behind weaker companions. While they went through many lying bodies, Elaine wanted to help them, but the man pulled her with him, but as he slowly ran out of breath, and Elaine paused again, he pulled out his laser gun and shot in the head the choking civilian, who was lying on the floor. Then still with his gun in his hand, he grabbed Elaine's hand and continued to march towards the light.

They went next to more drowning man, but Elaine opposed no more. She only hoped the soldiers wearing gas masks will bring out those who still could be saved.

Reaching the outside, the man coughed. He fell to his knees, wiping his eyes filled with tears from the big smoke.

Elaine also removed the gas mask, and while she busied herself with this task, a soldier spotted them, and went straight to them.

"Lieutenant!" the soldier ran beside the man kneeling on the ground.

"Soldier, why are you standing here?" screamed at him the man, though now we can call him by his name, Lieutenant Autumn. "Go, and help the people trapped still inside, or give a Stimpak to the lady! Don't you see how the blood is running from her nose?"

That so much discussed blood almost went cold through her veins as he looked at her.

The man who signed her death sentence was the one who at the end saved her life… But we all know what strange games the fate can play with us…

She was standing there for several minutes, looking at the man, who in turn took just one look at her, because other soldiers came to make reports.

Half an hour later the base was completely evacuated. Elaine also saw how the last masked soldiers came out, and soon after the whole base was blown out at Autumn's command. Thus cutting off all other people's ultimate hope of getting out who were still trapped inside of the tunnel. But he couldn't do otherwise, the Brotherhood of Steel posed too much threat at that moment.

Moving onto another topic, Elaine received a Stimpak, which made its job, temporarily removed the fractures but there was a little time left for the complete healing.

As the last vertitird was ready and was waiting for its passengers, the last group of Enclave people was about to get on. But before this thing happened, Autumn still had something important to discuss with Elaine, so he turned around to face her.

"I heard from the soldiers that you were working at the Eyebot research department as assistant to Dr. Sam Whitley".

"Yes, this is true…" replied the woman, casting down her eyes, fearing that someone finds out among the soldiers that she's not entirely honest, but no one gave sign of the crowd of knowing the entire truth.

"Courage, Lisa, because that's your name, if I'm not mistaken, isn't it?" asked the man, and Elaine nodded. "The worst part is behind us".

"Lisa?" repeated the name one of the soldiers. "You are Lisa McGee, Edgar's girlfriend?"

Elaine's face went white. She thought that if the truth remains hidden this time, then she'll be safe. She quietly nodded, while all of the soldier's face went somber.

Autumn looked deeply into her eyes, then stepping closer to her, put a hand on her shoulder.

"Lisa…I'm terribly sorry, but I saw Edgar, your friend with my own eyes… My condolences…"

Elaine felt a cold shudder inside. She took a deep breath, feeling tears bursting out her eyes, but not because Edgar was dead, instead she remembered her assistant, the real Lisa's death. She tried to hold back the tears, but couldn't help herself, and the tears just rained down from her eyes.

Autumn pulled her to him, trying to calm down the girl. Many horrors he had seen before, he had lost many comrades of his, and anyway, he wasn't one of the sensitive types of people, so he didn't really begrudged his bodyguard, but for some reason he wanted not to see her suffer

"Lisa" said the lieutenant, after she calmed down a bit. "There is still one last thing we have to discuss before we go. You heard secret military information before, and on the vertibird will be constant radio contact with the base. You must swear here and now that everything you've heard you're going to kept confidential. Repeat after me: I swear that I shall keep secret all of the confident information!"

"I-I swear…"

"Louder and firmer, to be heard by every ear witnesses!"

"I swear that I shall keep secret all of the confident information!"

"In case of perjury the maximum possible penalty may impose on you, which was just the same in the case of Dr. Ronin which I assume you are aware, is none other but the death penalty!"

Elaine felt as the strength went out of her legs. This was too much for him. First the execution followed by a comma, running at the end for her life, and finally making an oath, while threatening with non other but herself.

All that was missing for her was to uncover the truth. She certainly got a heart attack first before Autumn could raise his laser gun at her.

So thus it ended Dr. Elaine Ronin's life in the Enclave, and started Lisa McGee's second life!


	7. Chapter 7

**7\. Back to Reality**

After three chapters of flashback I want to accompany my readers back to the story's real time-line. For now let us put aside the past; how Dr. Ronin became the Brotherhood of Steel's hero, when deep in her heart she remained true to the Enclave's ideas. How she got back Sweet-E, who nowadays was believed to be only a ghost, who when it appears the Enclave soldiers can tie their pants up, and the warriors will not particularly need any sleeping pills or other sedatives.

After the misterious warrior woman fainted in the Underworld's "gate", Fawkes and Quinn brought her to clinic. There, Barrows, the ghoul doctor, after a brief investigation concluded that there is nothing wrong with the woman outside of exhaustion. They need to let the woman to sleep, and she'll be fine, said the doctor. At the request of Quinn, Elaine was allowed to remain in the clinic until she recovers.

She almost slept twelve hours, while Renegade checked her dream. The white Eyebot didn't abandon her, not only for a second.

The white gadget stayed there, guarding her conscientiously, and if anyone went close to the woman, he went so close to the person as close he could, to protect his master with all existing weapons he had.

The doctor was afraid of him he wanted the Eyebot to be as far away as possible. He never ever liked Cerberus, but he coupled with bad memories to the Enclave and their Eyebots.

Somehow he would have been happier if he not Winthrop sees enter at the door with a smooth skin, but the drone steps out.

However this did not happen, as I said, the handyman came into the clinic, although he wasn't in need of medicines. He accompanied but a human, who was accepted a member by the members of the Underworld, and whose interest was piqued after what this person heard from Fawkes.

"Ah, our favorite Vault Dweller!" said the doc, extending his hand to the leather armored warrior, who wore a Pib-Boy. "How may I help you?"

Withrop responded instead: "The wastes very new favorite, Renegade was the motive".

The white Eyebot turned beeping to the company. He flew directly to Elaine's bed, and just to be sure, he even armed his weapon.

"Hey, metallic Owl!" retrograded Winthrop. "No one wants to hurt you! And I thought that this is remote-controlled little owl, but apparently it's programmed more seriously..."

The Pib-Boy at the arm of the Lone Wanderer suddenly began to flash, and after the hero of the Wastes checked the device the group almost fell backwards when the Pib-Boy began to play the following text.

"According to my primary programming my duty is to protect Dr. Elaine Ronin. Anyone, who wants to hurt her, will be disarmed definitively!"

"Fuck…"ran out of the mouth of Quinn. "This came from Renegade?"

"Yes, it seems so…" the doctor nodded.

"Listen, little owl" said Winthrop to Renegade, after he was near the exit of the clinic, and his hand was on the doorknob. "We want no harm to Dr. Ronin! Speaking of which, don't you want to go to your Enclave buddies? They could use a little support! Liberty Prime will soon begin to fight against the commies…"

"My assembling, programming and development happened truly at Enclave base, but I, Renegade, am standing at Dr. Ronin's service. Arrest warrant is in effect against Dr. Ronin, so according to the eleventh point of my defensive program, on command, or if my operator is unconscious or killed I'm allowed to launch an attack on all Enclave tech weapon or armor. If necessary beside my energy charges, I can use all my weapons for what my programming is authorizing me!"

"So that's how he knocks out those Power Armored freaks…" Quinn mused.

"I think our dear friend is interested at the weaknesses of the Enclave." Said the doctor, looking at the Lone Wanderer. "Renegade, we're on your master's, Dr. Ronin's side. We need her, your help. What do you know about the Power armor and the plasma weapons, used by the Enclave?"

"I'm allowed to share confidential information only after receiving the correct password".

"Listen, Renegade!" said Quinn "We really are in need of some help. The Enclave threatens innocent lives! I understand that you were made by them, but don't forget that Dr. Ronin is also a wanted person. If caught, certain death awaits her!"

The Lone Wanderer put a hand on Quinn's shoulder and silently motioned for the man to stop his begging, and Renegade remained silent. Perhaps the little machine was waiting for the correct password…

Elaine slept through the whole conversation. She woke up at the midnight, when the clinic was almost empty. Only Quinn was sleeping in a remote bed. Elaine got up, but the ghoul also awakened to the waking sounds.

The woman looked through Renegade's programming, and founding everything in order, she decided that it's time to leave. However, Quinn got in her way.

"Dr. Ronin!" he said. "I want to talk to you!"

'We have nothing to talk about!" replied the woman. "While it is true that I am grateful that you provided cover above my head, while I was sleeping, but now I have to go!"

"We know, who you are, Dr. Ronin!"

"Then you are all wrong! Everyone is wrong who assumes to know Dr. Elaine Ronin!'

"The Enclave took control over the Jefferson! Several people died there. Among them innocent civilians, and I fear that if they manage to activate the facility, even more people will die! The Lone Wanderer told me about the terrible things he experienced at the Enclave's headquarters".

"…"

"Dr. Ronin, please… the stakes are huge…"

"Dr. Ronin died seven years ago. She was pronounced dead! She was lost at the Citadel. Now let that ghost to rest in peace!"

"Please… You were there, you saw with your own eyes, what those beasts are capable of! They are planning something big at the Jefferson Memorial! Without you we have much less chance against them!"

Her hands clenched as she looked up. She stared at the cracked plaster, as she wanted to read the right answer from the ceiling.

She was thinking for two, maybe three minutes before she lowered her head and had turned towards to ghoul.

"You know someone from there, who has been in the Citadel in the past?" she asked, while she was in a bad mood.

"The Lone Wanderer had gone" Quinn thought about it. "But Fawkes and Charon are still here! Both accompanied him, perhaps they were around there as well".

"Call them!"

Quinn went out, but returned about five minutes later, behind him with the two other summoned persons.

Charon languidly followed the ghoul adventurer, while Fawkes has had to take care of his every move, not to destroy any medical equipment or other supplies.

Elaine was sitting at Nurse Graves's computer and was working on something at the moment.

She tried to hack an Enclave server, but she had no success in it, and in fact she had to be very careful not to trace back her attempts, 'cause in that case, she would have offered the heads of the residents on a gold plate to President Eden and to his drastic experiments.

"Tsk…" she sighed in annoyance. "It will be harder than I thought it".

"They both came!" said Quinn. "Just as you asked!"

Fawkes came closer to her then he asked the first question what he had on his mind: "What's your plan? For although it is true that we accompanied our friend to the Citadel, but they will not let us in, without him!"

Elaine turned, then stood and turned to face the two muties, whom both were once the Lone Wanderer's companions.

She looked at them, and then suddenly she took her hat off, without a word uttered, causing her curly, light brown hair to fall over her shoulder.

In her next step she got rid of her kerchief, which she used to cover her face.

The moment she removed the cover from her face, Fawkes and Charon staggered. They began mumbling and looking at each other, and immediately after back at Elaine. They stared at her like they're seeing a ghost.

"H-How…" Charon stuttered. "How is this even possible? You look exactly like…"

"I know!" Elaine interjected in a bitter tone. "I got in a lot of unpleasant events thanks to this fact! You think, you can enter the Citadel with me?"

"That's for sure!" Charon nodded.

Fawkes saw eye to eye with Charon's statement, but however he wanted to warn the group as well: "We have to be cautious not to run into your doppelganger"

"However, your problem isn't solved here" continued Elaine. "We can't simply hack the colonel's terminal, but if we want Liberty Prime to safety arrive to the Jefferson, we have to interrupt the connection between the colonel and the Adams Air Force Base! In recent time the Enclave wasn't busy only with the development of plasma weapons. Their main aim was the improvement of a weapon, named Gatling Laser, and to develop a brand new armor, the Hellfire armor. If the soldiers will be equipped with those, the Brotherhood of Steel is almost going to suffer defeat and the secret weapon: the robot will be unable to help them! Renegade joined the Pibboy of Three Dog's favorite teenager and according to the data on it, Liberty Prime in its current state may stop at any time, even in the middle of the fight, not to say that its security establishment is quit out of date! If it is sent out like this, a clever technician of the Enclave can reprogram without difficulty, to see the Brotherhood of Steel as its enemies. I can set up the appropriate precautions only at the robot's control unit. And for this reason, I must get into the Citadel. But I warn you: I just equalize your odds, I will not fight anybodies fight!"

Renegade also agreed. As Elaine stopped her speech, the Eyebot turned on the radio player which played exactly the Enclave Radio station's broadcast. And let someone say that the sweet, little owl isn't patriotic…


	8. Chapter 8

**8\. Let's go to Rivet**

After several hours of negotiations, Elaine, Quinn and Fawkes decided to go to Rivet city, since Fawkes knew where to find Pinkerton's hideout. He knew as well how equipped his lab was.

They hoped that they could connect to the colonel's terminal. But in addition there was another reason around their decision. Fawkes also told them earlier, that when he was with the Lone Wanderer in Rivet city's market, that the kid sold a scribe clothing to Flak, what he borrowed from the Citadel. Fawkes said that the dress size is just fine for Elaine. And if the dress is there, they can get in much easier into the Citadel.

Charon was not interested in this adventure, and anyway Elaine didn't had his contract, so he remained in the Underworld.

In fact he wasn't impressed about the fact that they trusts in the stranger who openly agrees with Enclave ideas, who has an Eyebot, she knows the Colonel, and yet she turns against her own people. So he decided to remain out of this situation. He wanted not to become the next bad person about whom Three Dog will speak in the future, if things will not go as planned…

At sunrise the little group went through the subway tunnel to the coast, where Rivet city's ship stationed. Though Quinn has done everything to mislead the feral ghouls, and probably it wouldn't be any problem, if just he and Fawkes would have been walking there, but with Elaine's presence this mission was impossible, not to mention Renegade's buzzing, what was very striking as well. So they used up a few storage of ammunition before they reached out to the surface.

Down below there was only the ghoul's presence what meant danger, but outside they faced a new danger, the super mutants. They also consumed more ammunition, and Fawkes's hands also hurt a lot from the slashes with his Sledgehammer.

Elaine's comment, that with a Behemoth's appearance they would refill their ammo storage did not hit an undivided success through the two other members of the team.

Fortunately they didn't meet this kind of opponent along the way, just with a couple of Raiders. They weren't a serious threat, and were targeting at mostly Renegade, although their actions were understandable, because a few hours earlier Enclave soldiers chased them away from their hiding place.

So they were no match for the group, but before total defeat they managed to destroy the machine's cooling system. This caused Renegade to move much more louder and required correction, as soon as they reached the city.

In her not so short lifetime, this occasion was the very first when she's been in Rivet city. She surely would let outside Renegade, if the machine wouldn't required repair, but she had the only tools available in the city.

To avoid attention, Fawkes took the little owl under his arm. Renegade expressed its displeasure with unremitting beeping. This caused Harkness to turn towards them then he said: "Somebody tell the Eyebot to stop the cursing, or switch that thing off!"

Hearing this, Fawkes and Quinn looked at each other, but the one who answered to this was Elaine.

"I'm sorry, sir, we found this peace shot in the wastes. We just want to look through a bit…"

"You can find a workbench to your right by the stairs. You can examine that thing there. But for God's sake, first shut down the thing! It's bad to even hear what it is saying!"

"Strange…" replied Quinn "I didn't hear anything".

Elaine was the one who replied to this: "The Eyebots are using Morse code signals. Probably the: "..-...-.-.-.- -.-..-" is just too disturbing for the gentleman".

"After the first "…-…" (SOS) I'll shoot the thing to pieces!"

Harkness's threat was understandable at that moment, but Renegade wasn't afraid, he continued to beep regardless of the officer's opinion. He shut up only when Fawkes placed him at the bench. Elaine took a few tools from her backpack and she shortly fixed the machine.

"See, you made such a ruckus over this nothing!" said Quinn flicking one of Renegade's protruding antenna. "I'm sure it wasn't as bad as a tooth extraction".

"Renegade has no feeling imitating sensors." responded Elaine to this. "It has only a rudimentary A.I. program, of which my Sweet-E is really proud and exploits it properly! It can be really hysterical sometimes."

"Just like it's ma…" Fawkes almost said out loud his opinion, but got to his senses in time, and without finalizing his sentence he cleared his throat. "Um… Well, then now we have to ask around about that scribe uniform, for what we came for!"

The rest of the team shared his opinion. They turned back and looked around the bustling crowd, and then all of a sudden, all of them jumped in front of the bench, covering Renegade, who was still held on it. They were covering the Eyebot from an Enclave soldier, who, according to his age, it was just a trainee, but he wore an Enclave Powerarmor, so he was one of them, that for certain… And they all were informed about the infamous white Eyebot!

Quinn seeing that the guy is approaching them snatched out his coat and draped it over the Eyebot. Elaine took off her hat and put over the coat as well. Now it looked as they wanted to leave their equipment there temporarily. Especially that Elaine put her backpack next to the coat.

As the soldier was looking permanently in another direction, Elaine and Fawkes decided to leave Quinn next to their clothes, while they went to Flak and his partner's shop.

The bad-looking guy with a mustache wasn't there, only his brown-haired partner, who had also a bad temper. He was sitting on the coach, smoking a cigarette.

His eyes opened just widely, after the supermutant's shadow felt over him, than he looked up. He heard the news about the friendly mutant, who was seen time to time with the Lone Wanderer, but this was the first time when they met in person.

"Hello!" greeted him Elaine, but Shrapnel was paying attention only to the supermutant's dimensions. He swallowed bitterly as he imagined what a big slap could, he get from the goliath, if he loses his temper.

"Oh… Hey there, at Flak 'N Shrapnel's!"

"You're Shrapnel, if I'm right!"

"Yes, ma'am! How may I help you?"

"A friend of mine" said Elaine, looking towards Fawkes "told me that a friend of his sold a Scribe's uniform, used by the Brotherhood of Steel to your partner".

Shrapnel leaned forward in his chair, he than smiled, and after that he threw away the cigarette, what he was smoking.

He sniffed from the cigarette odor one last time, he than stood up, and raised the seat of the worn couch on which he was sitting.

He took out the item from under the mattress. The clothing was clean, neatly folded, just ready for sale.

"You're speaking about this?" he asked her, smiling.

Seeing this, Elaine looked at the supermutant, waiting for his answer. Fawkes nodded with approval.

Seeing this, Elaine looked toward Shrapnel: "Yes, this is it! What is its price?"

"Let's see… It's in excellent condition, clean, and not to forget that it's a special attire wore by none others but the Brotherhood of Steel, so… Three hundred caps is its price!"

"This isn't right!" said Fawkes. "Flak bought it with only 52 caps!"

"You know, my friend how big is the inflation!" Shrapnel smiled with a greedy smile on his face. "So do you want it, or not?"

"Of course we want!" Elaine said while she counted down the requested amount of sum.

After finishing the exchange, they said goodbye, and wanted to walk out of the place, but they almost ran into an Enclave recruit, who just arrived to Seagraves' stand, just beside the shop, they were standing at.

Fawkes was slightly annoyed by the expensive purchase, Elaine however was more occupied with the review of the red dress's material.

Fawkes was angry, but he observed the power armored soldier just in time, and grabbed the dress from Elaine's hand and got the thing into his sleeves.

Elaine was shocked, seeing how the big mutant wriggled the dress, but when she observed the guy, she realized the man's motives.

The guy wearing the power armor stepped in front of Shrapnel. As it turned out, the merchant was dealing with guns, and not with sensor modules or other components.

Following the negative answer he sadly sighed then looked back one last time to the market, but he was aware that he will not receive anything there.

He knew that if he couldn't find the component in the marketplace, he have to go into treasure hunt in the nearby ruins. There he will save his money, but he risked his very life for that small, little thing. But he had no choice he had an order to fulfill, so he headed for the exit.

As he walked towards the gate, he heard a feminine voice behind him.

"Did I hear correct? You're looking for a sensor module?"

"Yes…" he faced Elaine.

"I can give you one for three hundred caps."

The boy's eyes lit up, and just like in Elaine's case with the dress, he didn't bargain. So he left Rivet City's marketplace with less then three hundred caps, but with a tiny, black piece part.

Behind him, Quinn's face began to play colors, but against him, Elaine was counting the newly acquired caps, while Fawkes began to understand Charon's choice…

Now, that one of the problems has been checked came another, what necessitated solution. To this, they left the city, to walk along the beach until they reached the Jefferson Memorial, what momentarily was occupied by the Enclave.

Before the left the Underworld, Charon told them, that Pinkerton has a secret hideout entrance, which is accessible from the shore. Roughly the specified location, they found the metal sheets, what led to the unknown side of the ship, just like a bridge.

Renegade opened the very hard lock in seconds, and with Fawkes' lead, they all entered the dark, mildew smell emanating cabin.

Hearing the noises, Pinkerton also appeared with a gun in his hands, which he immediately raised at Fawkes.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Elaine shouted. "Pinkerton, it's me, Lisa!"

"Lisa…" repeated the name Pinkerton. "Lisa McGee? Holy shit! That's really you!"

Elaine smiled, than took off the blindfold covering her face, while Pinkerton lowered his gun. After so many years, they finally met again, and almost none of them changed in appearance.


	9. Chapter 9

**9\. Back to the Past**

That decade spent in Raven Rock was in Elaine's life perhaps the most difficult. The first month was the worst. She was tense, almost paranoid, especially when her way was crossed by soldiers. She was always afraid that someone would recognize her, that she's not Lisa McGee, Edgar Lenson's girlfriend.

The fact that she worked with Whitley on the Eyebot-project also worsened the situation, however she was the one who asked for it and urged it. She wanted to see Sweet-E no matter what.

She didn't have to wait long to hug each other with Whitley, however on that day the two Eyebots weren't present in the lab.

He told her that he had no choice, he was ordered to hand over Sweet-E and ED-E to an independent group of scientists. They wanted to search the two drones for eventual concealed information.

Two hours later a soldier returned the Eyebots to the lab. Elaine could hardly restrain herself. She would have liked to hug and kiss her colorful, little owl, but this would have been too obvious.

In addition, since everywhere were placed cameras, she couldn't even speak frankly with her friend and colleague, fearing that they would've been caught this way.

Five days passed, and one evening somebody knocked on Elaine's door, just shortly after bedtime. As she opened the door dreamily, she saw two soldiers. They ordered the woman to follow them. They didn't even allow her to dress properly, she was forced to follow them in her nightgown and with slippers.

She had a very bad presentiment despite that they were referring to her as Lisa McGee.

They escorted her to an interrogation room, which looked just like the one back in Tainted Cave. Even the lava lamp was almost the same. The only exception was that this time Elaine was not tied to the chair.

One hour passed in tense before the door finally opened, and when Elaine turned around, to see who's coming, she saw Lieutenant Autumn entering the room.

He came with a thick folder in his hand, and as he walked beside her, he touched her hand softly, encouraging Elaine. But in fact he helped the woman to remember the events back from the base Tainted Cave. If I had to be honest, her nose recalled firstly that one bad memory when she firstly met Autumn's hand… That was maybe the most painful meeting with a person in Elaine's life, so that she completely terrified by the man's touch is mostly understandable.

Autumn finally put down the folder on the table and sat down against Elaine. That was the moment when Elaine finally noticed how much his hair went gray. Now his appearance matched even better his name. His hair almost lost totally its brown shade, and his eyebrows were white as well.

He sat with military rigor, looking at the girl with a serious expression. It seemed like the man vis-à-vis with Elaine isn't the same with the one who entered the room.

As the interrogation began, firstly she met the routin questions, but after these, Elaine finally learned why they got her there. It turned out that Dr. Elaine Ronin was accused of the attack of the military base Tainted Cave, but then came the real shock, when Lieutenant Autumn asked for description of the so called culprit.

Elaine couldn't believe her ear. The man, who was at her interrogation back in the other base, and hit her head in the table now asked her to describe Dr. Elaine Ronin. She just couldn't believe this…

She even thought that the officer knows indeed her true identity, but before he reveals the truth, he plays with her like a yaoi guai with a molerat.

But Autumn's expression was different. Though trying to conceal his real thoughts, he was unable to maintain the poker face, which should be maintained by an interrogator in a similar case.

He asked her father to interrogate Lisa McGee, because he wanted to see her again. He did not understand why he's acting this way, but now he simply didn't find his place, he felt that he'll go crazy if he couldn't meet the girl.

Elaine couldn't help herself but to wonder what he wants from her. Autumn's expression was strongly reassuring, not as in the other case, when the other officer at Tainted Cave almost stabbed her with his eyes.

In the end she pushed her luck, when she decided to give a description of the person. It also came to her mind that exists the possibility that in those moments Whitley might be interrogated as well. She knew that he was the one who described her as Lisa, so she trusted him that now he'll identify the real Lisa as Dr. Elaine Ronin.

As she finished the portraiture, and Autumn did as well with the noticing, he stood up and left the room, with the paper in his hand.

Long minutes passed by, what seemed like hours. The back of her nightgown almost covered completely with sweat when the door finally opened. She couldn't turn around, the only thing she did was to listen to the approaching footsteps. Autumn came back and sit down, face to face with Elaine. He stared at her with a serious expression.

They sat side by side for a long time without saying even one word.

Elaine felt her heart beating in her throat, when suddenly somebody knocked on the door. Shivering in fear she almost heard the knocking sound as gunshots. She shuddered, but in the moment when Autumn called in the person standing outside, a soldier came in, and next to him came a man with a suitcase. Autumn then looked at Elaine's eyes.

"According to the current legislation of our country, Lisa McGee, you have the right to call for a lawyer. If you don't live with this right, you'll get one from the state".

Elaine couldn't respond to this. She was too tired and too frightened. The lieutenant then announced that the man with the suitcase is an appointed lawyer.

The man went closer, and after shaking hands with the still stunned woman, he sat down beside her and pulled out of his suitcase a bunch of paper.

He was a young, entrant lawyer, but what she didn't know was, that the man was an ambitious, a little aspiring but talented young man from the sorties and from the government of America…

After the lawyer took the papers, he looked straight in Autumn's eyes, then he said that.

"Have you informed my client of what she's accused of?"

"We are not accusing her of anything". The lieutenant replied, and Elaine slowly felt that she's sinking into the chair in her fear.

"How much did you tell her about the investigation?"

"The questioning is taking place right now. If I'm correct, Inspector General Priscilla asked you to take on her case. As I told you, we are not accusing the lady with anything by now".

"Did you tell her anything about the diagnosis of Eyebot Duraframe Subject C?"

"What are you talking about? What do you want with Sweet-E?"

"Do you tell her the facts aligned in the case files or you'll give me five minutes with my client to inform her about her situation in which she is?"

Autumn stood up, and when he walked past them, he said: "Five minutes…"

"I never heard about something like this before. If it's not enough that you've dragged her away from her room at the middle of the night, but you aren't even telling her the truth!"

"You'll get five minutes!" Said Autumn turned slightly back from the door. "You can tell her everything you know!"

"Oh, what a tenderness!" responded the lawyer, then looked at the soldiers, but didn't say anything until the door was closed behind them."

Elaine couldn't be so patient knowing nothing about her favorite little gadget:

"Tell me, please, what do you know about Sweet-E?"

"Miss McGee, Eyebot Duraframe Subject: C got you into a very serious problem. As you've been told, both test subjects, Eyebot Duraframe Subject: C, and respectively Subject E were taken away five days ago. An independent group had to scans them for any suspicious data. They didn't find anything worthwhile at the Eyebot's hard disc, whose name can be shortened to ED-E, but the other one, fondled Sweet-E abbreviated a surprise. It gave a total different personal description of Dr. Elaine Ronin, then the other one, strangely it portrayed the traitor to be a woman just like yourself, miss McGee. In order to clarify the situation, they called in Dr. Samuel Whitley and Paul Grand for an interview.

Paul Grand's name didn't ring a bell for Elaine. She couldn't understand how can that mysterious stranger be of use at the investigation. How can he identify her, or save her, but she had no intention to tell the lawyer about this. Although he still had some surprises for her.

"Miss McGee, I'm totally dealing with the situation here, as if you knew everything about the matter, but as it seems, you were not acquainted about anything. Do you know what Elaine Ronin has to do with this case?"

"I think, they're looking for Dr. Ronin… I heard that she probably survived. At least where I work this rumor is circulating…"

"What was your relationship with the aforementioned scientist?"

"She… was my superior. We worked in the same lab".

"On the base Tainted Cave, am I right?"

"That's right".

"The current investigations show that Dr. Elaine Ronin is the responsible of the attack on the base. Now I think, you understand why the situation is so delicate for you".

On Elaine's back the nightgown did not get wet for the first time, but as the things evolved, it happened not for the last time.

Recuperating from the shock, Elaine asked from her lawyer what he suggests for her to do. With this simultaneously opened the door. The lawyer's proposal was to stay as calm as possible and answer honestly the questions. But if she feels that the question is too pushful or is focused on a sensitive point she can keep silent, nobody can force something on her that is untrue or even obstructive.

After the man finished his sentence, a female voice greeted them then a tall, black haired woman came in front of them.

"I'm Chief Inspector Agnes Priscilla. I'm leading the investigation of the tragedy occurred in the base Tainted Cave. Miss McGee I would like to ask you to tell me everything you remember from the last day on the base".

Elaine took a deep breath and looked at her lawyer for the last time then began to talk. She made her speech very cautious, and at the part, where she spoke of Edgar, her "lover" about getting killed in front of her, she even sniffed a little just to make her story more credible. The Inspector when didn't look at Elaine's face, wrote notes.

There were also other questions what Elaine tried to answer satisfactorily. She was still waiting for a certain question, but this question miraculously did not came at all…

She thought that at a certain point she had to talk about her robot's "mistake", but this topic was not raised during her interrogation.

Finally, after the officer collected her documents on the desk, the lawyer asked her whatever they should stay or his client can go freely. Superintendent Priscilla released Elaine, but on the condition that she could not leave Raven Rock until the end of the investigation.

Although she was free to go, Elaine couldn't sleep a minute that night at all. She was sleepless and woke up after half an hour of sleep.

She went to work, although she felt that she has no power at all. She wanted to talk with her colleague, Whitley. There were one or two details that were not clear at all. For example, who this Paul Grand can be at all.

By the time she reached the lab, her colleague was already inside. He was working on ED-E's sensing sensors. Apparently he, like Elaine didn't sleep too much last night.

At the voice of Elaine's footsteps, Whitley turned to the door. Thus, the small bags under his eyes were even more visible.

Observing this, Elaine said: "I see, you had such a relaxing night as I had".

"If you has slept, you're even luckier then me!"

"Where's Sweet-E?"

"Read this!"

Whitley gave her a piece of paper. It contained a command that included Sweet-E for an indefinite period and all the documents belonging to the project.

"W-What will we do now?" Elaine asked, feeling her head getting dizzy.

"We have no reason to fear" Whitley responded, without making eyecontact with her, instead turning back, to work. "Truth always comes out".

Elaine understood what Whitley was suggesting with his words, but her heart was still in fear. What if the truth will be really revealed? What if the soldiers will come in and will pull her straight to the execution squad? So then the truth will be revealed, or she will be killed by the information on her beloved Sweet-E's hardware or not to forget to mention her own inattention.


	10. Chapter 10

**10\. A Friendly Advice, Or Maybe a Threat?**

There was perhaps no darker period in Elaine's memories than the first some months lived in Raven Rock. At least once a week, it happened that she was dragged to the interrogation room, and was questioned several times, and they didn't say anything to her outside of the questions.

All her interrogations were assisted by her attorney, and although he did a great job, Elaine was permanently afraid she'd been taken away one day, then they'll put a bag over her head an will drag her in front of the Deathclaws.

Every time she saw a soldier, she felt her heart beat in her throat.

Then one day, in lunchtime break, the lieutenant and her lawyer walked in front of her at once. Autumn handed over a sealed letter to Elaine then he simply left. The lawyer shouted after him in surprise.

"That's it?" he asked him. "You owe her more then this, after what you've done to her!"

"We just did our job!" replied Autumn. "The letter was sent personally by President Eden. Miss McGee I would like to stay, by my father's condition is worsening!"

It was well known at the base that the health status of Autumn senior was very bad lately, so the lawyer didn't comply after that, and Elaine remained sitting, with the letter in her hand.

"What happened?" she finally asked from her lawyer.

"They managed to hack one of the servers, used by the Brotherhood of Steel, and the data revealed that Elaine Ronin is located currently in the Citadel. Since one living spirit can't be in two different places simultaneously, so President Eden decided to close your investigation and even has sent you an apology letter".

Elaine was surprised hearing the news. The lawyer thought that she was surprised by the gesture of the President, but in reality the woman was surprised by the news, revealing her false location. How it is possible for Dr. Elaine Ronin to be in the Citadel, when in reality she's actually sitting at the table, face to face with the lawyer, who was smiling proudly.

Elaine could've been finally revealed. But truth is that the presence of the soldiers was likewise irritating her. One day however, it happened that she went between soldiers, now willingly to do so.

The death of Dr. Autumn has hit the whole Enclave. It wasn't unexpected however it was a big loss for the people. Everyone knew what the scientist had done after the Enclave Oil Rig was destroyed.

Many people dropped their tears in front of his coffin. Even the soldiers could hold back hard their tears. But surprisingly, the lieutenant stood behind his father's coffin and waited for the funeral to begin with military discipline.

As Elaine watched him, she didn't find mourning on his face or pain from the loss of a loved one, but instead he looked more stressed. He didn't drop a tear during the entire funeral.

In the evening dusk, when there was only one man standing over the grave, a female figure seemed to approach. The man above the grave turned his head towards the sounds of the footsteps.

The green eyed man looked at the woman then he said this: "Lisa McGee, why are you here at this hour?"

"Lieutenant, please take my sincere condolences".

"Thank you" said Autumn, facing the grave. "Miss McGee…."

"Please call me Lisa".

"After the incident in Tainted Cave, a little confidence had grown between us?"

"I owe you my life, Lieutenant!"

"Just call me Augustus. From tomorrow onwards, the President will give me the rank of Colonel".

The man said this in a somehow mocking tone, though it might be just fatigue, what made him talk like that after a stressful day.

Elaine didn't know exactly what the man came through. She was still very little, when she lost her parents. But she could feel his pain.

Elaine smiled at him and congratulated him. He turned his head in another direction. For him, this rank, what he got, was more than unpleasant. Especially after knowing who their president in reality is, he was more than disappointed.

He always found it interesting that President Eden never went out to the public, that he was surrounded only by robots and allowed only his father to enter his residence.

He should have been surprised by the statement of his father, what the old man made on his deathbed. When Autumn Senior told him the secret of Eden, apparently Augustus wasn't surprised. He simply disappointed in his father. He thought that the old scientist trusted him more than to tell the truth about President Eden at his last minutes of his life.

His father hurt him so much. Even at the last moment of his life, he was interested in only one machine. Just as in his life.

He wanted to put his dead father's corpse under the ZAX supercomputer's control unit, let him smell like the flower in front of the monitor.

That only one flower was now buried lay there on the top of the coffin, broken in half, deep underground.

Autumn's stomach turned up when he remembered the first command of the "President".

"Dear Augustus", the eerie voice echoed in his ears, "when you come back, please bring me a rosebud with you".

He got headache whenever he thought about that beginning from the next day seeming he'll be commanding the soldiers from Raven Rock, but in reality President Eden needs him as a puppet for his plans.

Autumn knew that sometimes he'll be rewarded, just like he got this promotion now. Promotion… more likely kicked upper on the ladder of success!

But Augustus Autumn never agreed to be anyone's dog. Darker and darker thought awakened in his mind, but when he saw Lisa coming on the road, he forgot all his problems for a moment.

He knew well the profile of the woman, he studied all over the report about her, and although he knew that the woman resembles his father the best among the scientists, he was always happy, when they met. And this woman came only for him, she went there only for him to the cemetery.

He decided that he'll not allow Lisa to be near his father. If the man in his life never was interested in the personal life of his son, then he had no right to watch him sown from his grave.

Lisa held a long-stemmed Carnation in her hand. She wished to leave it among the wreaths, but Augustus held out his arm, and then the woman, leaving his original plans, she caught the man's arm.

The newly appointed Colonel didn't allow Elaine to put the flower down, instead, he escorted her to another point of the cemetery. On the green meadow, there was a headstone with the name: Edgar Lenson.

There was a large bouquet of flowers in front of the grave. Elaine looked at the Colonel then he did just the same thing. She stepped closer to the grave, then leaned over and placed the flower next to it.

In the depths of her soul, she placed it on Lisa, the woman who had slept her eternal sleep in an unmarked grave, giving her identity to Elaine.

She stared sadly at the flat marble piece when suddenly someone put a hand on her shoulder. Elaine felt her heart beating faster, feeling the strong, yet gentle touch. She closed her eyes and imagined that they were not in a cemetery, but somewhere else, under other circumstances, only the two of them…

She blushed just from the thought about it, and she almost slapped herself on the face, thinking about such blithesome thoughts right in the center of a cemetery. She got up, and then she went next to the man.

He looked at her then she pulled him away from the grave, while she felt her face burn as many times when she looked up at him.

Autumn escorted Elaine back to the door of her home, then they said goodbye. She couldn't sleep an hour on that night. She lay on her bed, letting on her even her black costume, because she felt the scent of the man coming from the sleeves of the dress.

The next morning she went to work sleep-deprived. Whitley looked at her with wide eyes, but none of them said even a word.

After Elaine exchanged a few words with a soldier, she went straight into the toilet for at least half an hour. A brand new Lisa McGee came out after that. She arranged her freshly washed hair in front of the mirror and after she took on her white coat, she looked at Whitley.

"When will we go to the meeting?" she asked the man.

"Where would you like to go?"

"Lieutenant Autumn's promotion will be organized at two o'clock. I don't want to be late!"

"I thought, you didn't care about similar events".

"Sam, please tell me, there is a seating plan on such occasions, or everybody sits where they want?"

"Looks like I will not have an empty space next to me this time…"

"Oh, I understand… And tell me, how good is the view in general, where you are sitting".

"Come on, Lisa, now you will see…"

Whitley's reaction was a little surprising for Elaine. He accompanied his beautiful assistant on the long corridor. Elaine could have even thought that her friend, Sam was a jealous, if she hadn't known better the man. He had never approached her, and she knew he had a woman in his life. At least he claimed he has a serious relationship with a teacher, with who he was often talking in his free time.

Autumn's appointment to the rank of Colonel was very unusual. President Eden's command and his greeting speech was spoken by one of Autumn senior's retired colleagues, and he was the one who put the new rank sign on Autumn's uniform.

Whenever she looked at the man, who was sitting there disciplined, Elaine was thinking about those similar events she had missed, just because she was angry at him for some things for what he wasn't responsible.

However, now she was happy to be present, but she was sure that whatever will happen, she will be present at every ceremonies where Autumn will be invited.

Elaine held herself to her vows, and even she found herself even more near the colonel. The truth is that the man had a solid role in all of these as well.

Autumn kept distance from Elaine, until the end of the mourning period, but after a year they walked openly on the street, and even so, they spent one or more nights at one of their houses.

Typically, they chose weekends, but a single time, when Autumn had to go into a longer mission, they chose a Wednesday for their reunion.

Elaine was still asleep when Augustus carefully lifted her head from his twitchy arm and quietly got out of bed. He planned to pack his staff at the afternoon, but he ended with Elaine in his bed, so he hadn't had the time to pack anything at all.

He finished packing in ten minutes then went back to the bed. She woke up when she felt his touch on her skin, and a smile appeared on her face. She touched the man to see what is he wearing, and when she felt that he wore just the same as in the evening she suddenly jumped at the man laughing, who pretended to be asleep. As he kept pretending to sleep, she tried a new strategy as she went down a bit and started an alarming attempt under the blanket.

Of course, this action would be successful only if the man was still asleep, but she couldn't complain, as she gained more enjoyment with less effort.

They made sex in the morning sunlight, when finally the man went to take a shower.

Elaine wanted to play with him for one more time, when Augustus came back of the bathroom, he found the woman naked, on the top of the bedclothes with her legs wide open. Now she was the one pretending to sleep, however her play was not the best, as she began to laugh when she sensed the man's shadow on her.

She felt the bed moving under her as the man knelt beside her and leaned over to her ear, whispering something in the woman's ear. Hearing the words, Elaine got embarrassed. But after a very little time, he kissed her on the forehead, then little lower, kissing her chest. Then he suddenly pulled the sheet down on her, twisting the woman into it.

Elaine just laughed while she freed herself, but in the end the room became empty. Not just Augustus disappeared, but his clothes, the gun from the top of the desk and the suitcase, beside the wall as well.

Getting out from bed, she found a keycard on her own clothes. Raising it, she went to the door, and put the card into the card recognizer. A green light appeared, indicating that the exit was free.

Elaine smiled and wondered that she will provide a copy of her own keys for the man, when he will come back.

Her mood was good when she came out of the basement, where Autumn's apartment was.

She never imagined that she'll meet up with a person from the lab at that very spot, so she was surprised to see Whitley on the sidewalk.

The man looked pissed, and it seemed that his mood can't be helped by that magical McGee smile.

The man told the woman to follow him to the park. Since there were no cameras there, they talked honestly.

As soon they reached a good place, Whitley let out on the woman his emotions.

"Tell me, woman, what the fuck are you doing?! Are you crazy, or have I misunderstood you from the first place?!"

"What's your problem?"

"What is my problem, you ask? I will tell you, if it happened that you forgot, you got a fire command on your head. And what are you doing? You're fucking licking the barrel, that's what you're doing!"

"I'm doing exactly what I want with my very life!"

"Remained one question: whether it's all about your life, or it's business! Like everything else in your life…"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about the hidden files on ED-E's hard drive! Just to let you know if you do not end your relation with him, I'll show him those nine years old files!"

"Those are Sweet-E's backup copies. You know this well!"

"And you use password protection for a fucking backup?"

"Shall I show you the content?"

"Leave the Colonel alone! Elaine… I don't want to lose you. You yourself told me that he shot dead civilians, just because you looked at them".

"He was drowned, while I was wearing a gas mask!"

"The I'll say more recent news! Though they put on a news blackout, I know from Agnes that he killed all chiefs of the ex-government. Agnes's several disciples cried out to her exact the same thing! That their father or other close relative died in a fatal accident. In a strange way, just before they could swear their loyalty to the new Government. All of them were killed by plasma weapon. And we all know, that Autumn's men are experimenting with exactly the same thing!"

"Are defending him from me now, or me from him?"

"Elaine, leave that cobra in peace. This a friendly advice…"

"Then I would have a counsel for you, my friend. Give me up quietly, put on table all your cards, I will not do anything against it, but remember it well: if you do, we will stand together in front of the Deathclaws, because you have became my partner in crime at the moment you lied in my interest".

Elaine turned, and though she wanted to leave, she stopped. On the rose-promenade arbor, a six to eight years old boy ran to them. His hair was as red as Whitley's. Elaine saw the boy last time, when he was still a baby. He was approaching them with shining eyes. He rushed to Whitley and jumped on him.

"Seby!" said the doctor, while he hugged the little boy. "What are you doing, my little brother?"

"Mom said I'd be an uncle soon!"

"Yeah, mom didn't lie, soon another Whitley will came to the world! You'll be an uncle!"

"While you Sam, you'll became a dad!" She put her fingers on his shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me, Sam that you wrote a delivery request to the Stork?"

Hearing this, the little boy looked at his brother: "What is a stork?"

"I'll tell you, if you'll grow a bit". He said, pointing at the boy's nose with his finger. "Anyway, I wanted to tell you" he looked up at Elaine. "I stood in front of your room all night, but around midnight I realized you were not at home then I heard what the soldiers were discussing, and as it turned out, the rumor was true.

The boy took a look on Elaine, and then his mouth remained open: "Wow, you are Elaine, if I'm not mistaken!"

"No my dear, I'm Lisa." She leaned closer to the boy.

"But mommy showed me a picture, and told me that the woman on it with brother is Elaine".

"No, Seby!" Sam shook his head. "This is Lisa, my colleague".

"Lisa?" The child looked at the woman then he suddenly stretched out his hand towards Elaine. "Hi, Lisa, I'm Sebastian Whitley!"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Lisa McGee! A little bird came with the rumor that one day you'll be ED-E's mentor in the future".

"Sam told me that this will became reality, when he'll move to Navarro!"

"You have to wait a little longer…"

"Don't listen to you brother, learn a lot, and you'll see, you'll become a more popular Whitley then your brother!"

"Well, we have to sleep some more before this happens!" Sam laughed.

The boy looked up at his brother then he raised his head towards Elaine. He had that crazy, young look at his shining eyes.

Sebastian Whitley decided at the moment that one day he will be a much bigger doctor then his brother. Although Sam made ED-E, but he will be the one, who will give the robot personality, he would be his mentor!


End file.
